Chapter 11

Storms End-273 

The Tourney had officially begun, Banners of all kinds were displayed across the field and all the great houses were present—envoys from free cities and beyond attended this massive display of royalty and festivities. The Melee was in full swing as Stark, Martell, Tyrell, Lannister, and House Targaryen were watching in their own sections. But all their eyes were staring at Prince Daemon wearing Targaryen Red Armor with a helm designed to see only the eyes with dragon wings on the sides, smashing his thoroughly padded Warhammer, smashing another knight, making him pass out from pain and dragged away. This has been an ongoing trend from the start, a knight from the reach, Stormlands, the west, etc. And that same knight would be crumpled up on the ground wheezing because something that was not meant to be bent or twisted was in fact twisted or broken. 

Soon enough, there were only a few fighters left, most were taken out by the prince. A man with a golden lion sigil on his chest and gold and red all over his armor, raised his sword to the prince, signaling a challenge, which the prince simply gave a nod and advanced. Gerion Lannister, the youngest brother of Tywin, was a skilled swordsman but nothing to tell stories about. So, the Lion danced with the Dragon and in a few short moments, a hard swing from his Warhammer landed on the lion's shield and the arm of Gerion gave out, giving a cry out in pain as he was sent to the ground. He quickly yielded and with a touch from the prince, the broken arm, and battered body of the Lion were healed and he was sent on his way to lick his wounded pride with a smile. Many onlookers soon realized they were witnessing something that they hadn't seen in quite a while, which was utter dominance. From the moment the melee started, Prince Daemon quickly set himself apart from the rest, and if another worthy, more experienced fighter was picked to win,. Well, it wasn't long before they too were left staring up at the sky, with the words 'I yield' leaving their lips. Yohn Royce, Lord Crackhall, and many others simply could not withstand the prince's onslaught. In the end, Prince Daemon was made the youngest knight in history, and none cheered harder than Prince Rhaegar, and princess Visenya for their brother. 

Daemon was awarded 20,000 gold dragons and refused to take ransoms during the melee which raised him higher up in most people's eyes. Half the money that he won; he simply gave away to the poor and needy. When Daemon and Rhaegar finally arrived with Ser Barristan and Ser Whent on either side of them, the first feast was already well underway. They weren't entirely drunk, but they were swaying a bit when they finally took their seats at the High table, along with the Baratheon's and Lady Lannister and her children, who were invited personally by the King. Daemon sat next to Lady Joanna on his left and her golden twins on his right, Rhaegar sat with their mother and his sisters and the Baratheon's. 

Joanna Lannister POV 

Sitting next to the prince attracted many eyes across the feast, she had known daemon since he was a baby and really got to measure him when he arrived at Casterly Rock with a smile that drew people towards him and was flattering, charming and Intelligent. She got to see firsthand his gifts as he saved the life of herself and her newborn son Tyrion. Tyrion was born a dwarf, and she didn't know how quite to feel about it, She feared of the shame, he would feel within himself as he grew older and a part of her felt ashamed to have him, but her nightmare ended when the prince, simply with a wave of his hand, corrected that mistake and now her boy would grow to have a normal child and bring Honnor to House Lannister. She decided to converse with the prince to pass the time. 

"I must say, my prince, you were simply unstoppable during the melee; I'm sure you are very proud and worked hard for it." she said with a smile on her face. 

Daemon turned to her after taking a sip of his wine, and with a smile, "Yes, I trained a lot over these years to perfect my skills and I'm sure there is still work to be done and things I could fix," he replied, popping some bread into his mouth. 

"I'm sure you would only progress with time, and I hear Lords are offering sons to squire for you" she said with a smile, as she saw him wince a bit. "Yes, many approached me with an offer, but I told them I would simply wait and think about it." 

She decided to press on and make an offer for Jamie. "Well, I'm sure there are many good boys that will make fine squires, but I must ask, would my son Jamie not make an excellent squire for you when the time comes?" she asked, and she was prepared to make an offer to the prince to see her son squire and learn from the prince. 

Daemon glanced at the little lion cubs, who were busy conversing and eating with each other rather than paying attention to the asslickers around them. He turned back to Joanna, who was beautiful in her golden dress, outlined with red and tiny lions adorning the sleeves. "I am willing to take little Jamie as my page and I'm sure he could learn a lot and will make a good warrior but I'm not granting him special treatment or privileges; if I decide to take two or three squires, and they may come from a lower station then his own, they will be treated the same." 

'Tywin won't like that, he prided himself on the Lannister name and will probably rage and threaten to slight the prince and have Jamie sent off to ward somewhere in the west to their bannermen, but having Jamie learn under Prince Daemon is a boon they can't let slip away.' she thought. 

"Very well, I'm sure I can get my husband to agree on it and are there certain....requests you have of us?" She spoke in a low voice. 

Daemon planned on getting his lands and holdings, but he didn't know where exactly he wished to live, He had a lot of money to build his ideal castle in a certain location or to restore an existing castle but there's one thing he wanted a part of his lands, which was knightly house, one specific knightly house, House Clegane. 

He turned back to Lady Joanna and, with a blank expression, spoke, "I want House Clegane to be my vassal of my future lands." 

Joanna's face was impassive, but she replied evenly, "My prince, House Clegane, sworn an oath to my husband and to the westerlands i-" She was cut off when Daemon gave a chuckle. 

With a smile, he continued, "Oaths are sworn every day, and oaths are broken every day, and besides, I'm sure it won't be a problem when simply switching oaths from Lord Tywin to me, after all, I'm not asking for one of your powerful bannermen, no, just a simple landed knight's house." he replied with a smirk. 

With a small sigh, she replied, "I'm sure when the time comes for you to manage your own lands, House Lannister would be willing to grant your request, my prince." She replied with an even smile. 

"Good, then i look forward to teaching my little lion cub to be the best warrior and knight he can be." he replied with the same fixed smile. 

And so, the prince left to speak with Prince Oberyn and Arthur Dayne, who was joined by Prince Rhaegar shortly after speaking with Lord Rickard Stark. She saw them jape and laugh and enjoy the music. Princess Elia asked Daemon to dance and with a smile, they danced and whispered to each other until the maid with the purple eyes asked for a dance. Joanna saw Prince Daemon dance with each of them a couple more times and danced with Alerie Hightower, who was yet to be married off, and many highborn ladies, including Genna, who allowed the prince two dances before she left to sit back down. Many others danced with Prince Daemon and Prince Rhaegar so much, so that she was surprised that they hadn't run from the dance floor to catch their breath. 

When Prince Daemon approached her little lioness Cersei to dance with him, she remembered her manners and responded as gracefully as a seven-year-old could.

Before she could turn to her son Jamie to tell him to ask Princess Visenya to dance, she heard King Aery's voice rise to his daughter. "I have tolerated your defiance for too long, daughter, you will finish your food before you can enjoy the festivities," seeing Aery's eyes smolder with rage and shake a bit. 

Princess visneya like her namesake, shakes off the fear and reply....no scream to the king. "No, I don't want to finish it, I'm not hungry anymore, I want to go play with the others and dance!" she replied with defiance. Queen Rhaella grabbed her daughters' shoulders and told her to be silent. 

OH DEAR 

She had never seen Aerys this angry, and it was all over his child not wanting to finish their food, she noticed him not long ago, laughing and drinking. 'How could his mood change so suddenly? she asked herself. 

By this time, this dispute drew many eyes, and the music died down. But the king continued, "I will have you whipped bloody for your insolence, girl; I am your king, and you will do as I COMMAND!!" he shouted, frothing at the mouth. 

Lord Steffon tried to intervene, but he was simply ignored, as the King issued a command that made her blood run cold. "Guards have my rebellious daughter tied to a post and issue 6 slashes!" he shouted. 

She saw Queen Rhaella, stand in front of her daughter and reply to her husband with a cold tone. "She is your blood, Aerys, and she is my daughter, and I will not stand to see her whipped over food," she says, with a spine made of steel. 

"Then you can be tied to the post with her, then, you forget yourself, women; I am your king, and my word is law and those who disobey will suffer the dragon's wrath." 

Lord Steffon finally had enough and stood beside the queen, "Your grace, your queen is pregnant, and your daughter is a child; I would advise against this," he replied diplomatically but she could see the anger in his eyes directed at the king. 

But the King, undeterred, decided to further disgrace himself. "So, you dare defy your king, Lord Baratheon? Interfere again, and I'll have you stripped of your lands!" he bellowed. "Ser Gaunt, Ser Darry, take my daughter and my foolish wife outside and have them whipped six times each!" 

Cries of protest erupted from the Northerners and others who stood in defense of Queen Rhaella and her daughter. The two King's guards hesitated, torn between duty and decency, as the queen shielded her sobbing daughter from the impending punishment. 

Then, in an instant, something happened that would forever be etched into the memories of all who witnessed it—a moment so horrific that it would haunt their lives and forever mark Prince Daemon Targaryen as nothing less than a monster. 

Screams echoed through the air as men and women watched in horror, their eyes fixed on the grotesque scene before them: Prince Daemon's bloodied fist had torn through his father's back, emerging on the other side in a grisly display of violence. 

No one noticed the prince's approach until it was too late. In an instant, chaos erupted, with panicked shouts filling the air as the hall descended into chaos. 

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DADUNDUUUMMMMM

So, what will be the consequences for Prince Daemon and who would marry a KINSLAYER AND KINGSLAYER. lol

Leave any suggestions or predictions in the next chapter.